The Face in the Mirror
by Katchu
Summary: It was just supposed to be an ordinary Carter Family birthday party... until a couple of old friends dropped in...-season seven spoilers-Chapter 4 finally up!
1. Default Chapter

Chapter 1  
  
The two young teens walked through the snow covered park holding hands. The girl shivered slightly, while the boy just inhaled deeply, enjoying the crisp Colorado air. He looked over at his companion and smiled slightly.  
  
"We could head back if you wanted to. Hang out at your house..."  
  
The petite blonde rolled her eyes at her boyfriend. "Yeah Jonah, that's a great idea. Maybe we could play Scrabble with my parents."  
  
"I was thinking more like Rummy or Gin or..."  
  
She put her hands over his mouth, muffling the remainder of his words.  
  
Jonah grinned mischievously. "I'm pretty flexible though. I'll play anything that has an alcoholic beverage for a name."  
  
The girl slapped his arm playfully, adding to the jovial mood. "You know for a 17 year old, you sure are obsessed with beer."  
  
"Well Lauren, I've found that um...wanna get some ice cream?"  
  
Lauren shrieked in response. "In the middle of January?! Are you insane?!  
  
"Yes."  
  
A moment passed in awkward silence as Lauren contemplated his offer. It would definitely be better than going back to her house. For some reason her parents had never really taken a liking to Jonah, and it was only thanks to her younger brothers' convincing that her parents allowed them to continue to date.  
  
"Why do you hang out with Simon so much? And why is he so taken with you? "  
  
"I don't know..." He shrugged. "I'm likeable."  
  
Lauren looked off into the distance, trying to come up with an explanation. "You're one of the only friends he has, what with him being a geek and all."  
  
Jonah smiled wryly. "Yes well, I have a soft spot in my heart for geeks and nerds."  
  
"Why is that?"  
  
Jonah swallowed. "My... uh... my best friend was a nerd."  
  
"When you lived in Minnesota?"  
  
"Yeah...when I lived in Minnesota...Danny could be annoying at times, but  
he was always good for a laugh. He was the best friend a guy could  
have."  
  
"Do you still miss him?"  
  
Jonah sighed. "Sometimes. It was hard at first, what with us moving unexpectedly and all. I never really got a chance to say goodbye."  
  
Lauren saw the pain in his eyes and decided to change to what she thought would be a safe topic. "So, when do I get to meet your folks?"  
  
The question caught him completely off guard. "My folks?" His voice squeaked a little, causing Lauren to giggle and him to groan. There were times when he thought that his was a fate worse than death. After all, what could be crueler than having to be a teenager again? But then he would picture Lauren in the dress she wore to the prom last year, and suddenly it didn't seem so bad. "You've changed the subject twice now. We're supposed to be talking about Simon."  
  
"Oh yeah..."  
  
Jonah sighed with relief as he was spared from having to make up yet another tale about 'his folks'. What with him not having any and all, it made such conversations difficult. And he hated having to lie to Lauren, although it was at times necessary.  
  
"So uh, Simon's a geek..."  
  
She nodded. "Right, Simon's a geek. And he only hangs out with you and Tito."  
  
Jonah smiled at the thought of their young Mexican friend. "Ah yes...Tito. You on the other hand, have oodles of friends and admirers and yet for some reason, you choose to go out with me. It boggles my mind."  
  
"Yes, but it doesn't take much to do that."  
  
"Point."  
  
Lauren sighed thoughtfully. "To tell you the truth I don't think I understand it either. I mean, last year we both started school as transfer students. And like you said, you are likeable, and kinda cute."  
  
"It didn't have anything to do with me saving your brother from the  
hands of the school bullies?"  
  
She smiled impishly. "No, I liked you before then. Although it certainly didn't hurt my image of you any. Boy when you walloped those kids...that was pretty brave of you."  
  
Jonah inwardly scoffed. She thought that was brave? She should see him single-handedly go up against a snakehead and live to tell about it, that was brave. Ok, it wasn't brave it was stupid, but sometimes they weren't mutually exclusive.  
  
"I need to give your brother some lessons in self-defense."  
  
Lauren laughed.  
  
"I don't think that would help my parents opinion of you any."  
  
"I didn't figure it would. So, uh, how about that ice cream?"  
  
"You're serious aren't you?"  
  
"Always."  
  
She sighed reluctantly. "Well, I guess I could go for a hot fudge sundae."  
  
"Sundaes it is."  
  
They quickened their pace and headed for the local diner. 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
  
The room spinned around Jack as he twirled on Sam's desk chair. She smiled at him as she said a quick goodbye and closed her cell phone. "Was there something you wanted, Colonel?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
She waited patiently for a moment, but after no further response, attempted to prod more information out of him. "What is it?"  
  
"I don't remember. I came in to ask you something, but it kind of  
flew out as I spun around."  
  
Sam looked at him queerly, wondering if he had really come in to ask her something, or if he had just wanted to play with her new chair. "Uh huh."  
  
"So, uh, who was on the phone?"  
  
"My brother Mark. He and Julie are planning a surprise party for my  
niece's birthday and he wanted to invite me."  
  
"It must be nice having them live so close."  
  
Sam smiled. "Yeah, it is. I didn't get to see the kids much when they were little, but thanks to Mark's job transfer they're just on the other side of the city instead of in San Francisco." A moment passed before Sam spoke again. "Mark said I should feel free to bring someone..."  
  
Jack raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Oh yeah? Who are you gonna take?"  
  
"I don't know yet."  
  
Jack mused thoughtfully. "You should take Teal'c. He's a party animal."  
  
"Teal'c in a house full of teenagers? Somebody would get hurt...or  
locked in a closet."  
  
"Ok, how about Danny? He's quite the social butterfly."  
  
"And he also happens to be an archeologist. How am I going to explain  
how I know him? He works with me on my deep space radar telemetry? No  
one will buy it."  
  
"You could say he's your boyfriend..."  
  
Sam glared at him. "I don't think so."  
  
"Yeah...well...you could take me..."  
  
She stared at him in shock. "Do you really want to go to a teenage girls' birthday party?"  
  
"Well, there are worse places to be. Besides, I want to meet your family."  
  
"Maybe this isn't such a good idea..."  
  
He gave her a pleading look. "Aw come on, I really want to meet the rest of the Carter clan. I mean your dad's a riot, you're a ...so uh, speaking of Jacob...is he gonna be able to make it to the party?"  
  
Sam smiled as he changed the subject, then frowned at the thought of her father.  
  
"I haven't been able to get a hold of him. The Tok'ra said that he's  
on a mission and they don't know when he'll be back."  
  
"That's too bad."  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
"So, uh, when's the party?"  
  
"Well, her birthday is in four days, but they're gonna have the party  
the day before, so that she won't suspect anything."  
  
Jack nodded in admiration. "There's that brilliant Carter thinking."  
  
"Yeah...I'm kind of hungry. Would you like to grab a bite to eat from the mess?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
Jack took one last spin on the chair and then jumped off, a huge smile on his face. "That's a quality piece of furniture you have there."  
  
"Your approval means so much to me."  
  
"As it should. Hmm...do I want cake or pie?"  
  
"I don't know, sir. I think you're going to have to decide that."  
  
"Hmm..."  
  
They headed to the mess with Jack still contemplating his snack choices. 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3  
  
Jonah grabbed a beer from his fridge and sprawled out on the couch. The Simpsons weren't on for another ten minutes, so he had some time to relax. He looked around his modest apartment and smiled at the organized chaos. Everything was as it should be. The 64" plasma TV and the X-box were the only things that most people would call clean. All the other furniture had various books, magazines, videos and food particles stuffed on them or in them.  
  
He took a swig of his beer and thought back to the conversation he had had with Lauren yesterday about 'his folks'...or rather the lack of conversation. He lived alone, but that hadn't always been the case. When he first started going to Sierra High the Air Force had arranged for him to live with a local military family. The Blakes were a nice couple, but he and they didn't exactly get along too well. Ed had been in the Marines for over 20 years, and Lisa had been a successful pediatrician until she quit her job to raise their four kids. All they had been told about him was that he was a 15-year-old boy who needed someone to take him in, and they had readily agreed to do so.  
  
In reality Jonah was a middle aged, disgruntled, special ops trained Air Force colonel, who had been forced to leave behind everything he knew, not a teenager who needed to be coddled. The Blakes, of course, were unaware of this fact and did not take kindly to his lifestyle...staying up all night watching TV, refusing to study because "he already knew everything he needed to know", and of course there was the beer...they wouldn't tolerate his drinking. He wasn't used to being treated like a teenager. Jonah had voiced his complaints to the Air Force, and after much negotiation it was decided that at the end of that school year Jonah would be allowed to move into his own apartment, provided he stayed in constant contact with the Air Force and that he would do nothing to compromise his identity or Air Force security. He was provided with an apartment and given a generous 'allowance' every month to take care of his needs.  
  
Life since then had been quite predictable, which was of course a welcome change from the constant peril he was used to facing. Weekdays he went to school, a fact that he at first rejoiced at but now loathed. Granted, it was a lot easier this time around. But, there was still so much about it that he did not like. For one thing there was way too much homework. For another, he highly doubted most of his teachers knew what they were talking about. Lauren made it fun, Simon kept it interesting and Tito...well...Tito was just plain weird. On the weekends he hung out with Lauren whenever possible and Simon or Tito if it worked out. If he had had such friends the first time around, his life might have turned out differently. They ensured his high school days would be anything but uneventful. But, high school wouldn't last forever and he had of late begun to wonder what he was going to do after he graduated.  
  
His thoughts about the future were interrupted by the phone ringing. The problem was, he couldn't find his cordless phone. After several minutes of hunting he discovered it under a stack of National Geographic magazines and tried not to sound too harried as he picked up. "Hello?"  
  
He heard Lauren's sweet voice on the other end. "Hey Jonah, this is Lauren."  
  
"Hey. What's up?"  
  
"Well, I've been trying to study for that Chemistry test tomorrow and  
I'm having trouble with the Stoichemistry. You know, the mass to mole  
relationships and so on? I wanted to get to it earlier, but I had all  
that Pre Calculus homework and... "  
  
Her voice was filled with frustration. Jonah nodded sympathetically, although she obviously couldn't see it. He had never taken Chemistry in high school, but for some reason he had, according to his teacher, 'shown quite an aptitude for it.' As such he was given the opportunity to tutor Lauren every once in awhile. "Well, uh, do you want me to come over and give you a hand?"  
  
She sighed with relief. "I was hoping you'd say that. My parents are out of town and I don't really think they'd want me leaving at this time of night to go someplace and study. And the library's closed and..."  
  
"You're parents are out of town?"  
  
Lauren laughed. "Is that all you heard me say?"  
  
"Um...no comment?"  
  
She laughed again. "Would your parents mind you coming over at this time of night?"  
  
"Uh, no, they don't mind. As long as I'm in bed by midnight, they're pretty flexible."  
  
He gritted his teeth through the lie. She sighed with relief. "Great. I'll see you in a little bit?"  
  
"Yeah, absolutely."  
  
"And Jonah...I really do need your help studying. We can't goof off."  
  
"Of course. No goofing. I'll be right over." 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4  
  
Jack sat in the mess munching happily on a piece of blueberry pie and a slice of angel food cake. Sam laughed lightly as he alternated bites between his two desserts. "If I'd known you were that incapable of making a decision I would have told you which dessert to get."  
  
"Ah, but you should know by now that when it comes to desserts, my  
heart is always torn. Besides, I did ask you. It's your fault for  
not answering. My tummy thanks you."  
  
"Is it in my debt?"  
  
"In your debt?!"  
  
The look on his face said that he wasn't entirely sure he liked the thought of being in anyone's debt, especially his XO's. Unfortunately, his stomach chose that moment to rumble contentedly.  
  
Sam grinned. "I'll take what I can get. I need your help picking out a present for my niece."  
  
"What?!"  
  
She sighed. "I know it's a bizarre request. She may be my niece, but let's face it; I don't know her that well. And you've always had a knack for..."  
  
"For finding the perfect gift?"  
  
Sam nodded, relieved that he understood. "Remember that hat you got Teal'c last year?"  
  
"Yeah. He said he's gonna wear it every time we go fishing."  
  
She looked down quickly, trying to stifle a laugh at the thought of Teal'c in that silly hat. It was probably a good thing that it would be a while before Teal'c went fishing again.  
  
"So, uh, will you go shopping with me?"  
  
Shopping with Sam? That sounded like it could be interesting. Fun even. But also dangerous.  
  
"I don't know..."  
  
"Please? This is really important to me. Besides, you owe me."  
  
He scoffed slightly.  
  
"What, for dessert?!"  
  
Jack was about to protest further when Sam give him that look. The one he could never say no to. The one that would always haunt him. He sighed weakly. After all, it was just a quick shopping expedition, what could happen?  
  
"Fine. When do we leave?"  
  
Half an hour later they pulled into the parking lot of the Gateway Mall. Jack, slightly embarrassed that he was actually going to a mall (something he felt that no man should ever have to do) looked around hastily to make sure he didn't spot anyone he knew. Sam snickered at his guarded behavior.  
  
"This isn't a stakeout. It's not a standard recon mission. There is  
no foreseeable danger, and no you won't die if anybody sees you."  
  
He nodded absently, still checking the area.  
  
"Yeah, right. Can we just get this over with?"  
  
"Follow me."  
  
Six stores later, they still hadn't found the 'perfect gift' and Jack was about ready to give up.  
  
"Major, how long are we going to go on like this?"  
  
"Until we find something. Besides we've only been at it an hour."  
  
"Yeah well, we should have found something by now."  
  
Sam sighed at his ignorance.  
  
"Finding a present is a slow and delicate process that should not be rushed."  
  
"We can always come back tomorrow..."  
  
"The party is in three days."  
  
"And tomorrow will still leave you two."  
  
"I can't believe..."  
  
"Excuse me."  
  
They turned to look at the petite sales clerk who stood trembling before them. "Um, my manager says that if you're not going to buy something, you'll have to leave. You're disturbing the other customers. And if I may offer a word of advice? I couldn't help hearing your um, discussion and if you're looking for a gift I would suggest Cony's on the east side of the mall."  
  
Sam smiled.  
  
"Thanks for the suggestion; we'll check it out. I'm really sorry we were such a bother."  
  
"Oh, it's ok. I didn't mind at all. In fact, it's the probably the  
most interesting thing that's happened all week."  
  
Jack cleared his throat.  
  
"Yes well, I'm sure you need to get back to work, and we really do need to get going..."  
  
"Yeah, you're probably right. Well you guys have a great day!!"  
  
"You too."  
  
With that Jack dragged Sam out of the store and quickly headed towards there new destination. She stared at him in wonder.  
  
"What's your problem?"  
  
"That girl was freaking me out."  
  
"I thought she was sweet. You don't get out much do you?"  
  
"Well...Sam..."  
  
"What? What's wrong?"  
  
His eyes were fixated on the food court, and at first she thought he was just acting silly and wanted to get something to eat. But then she saw his eyes grow wide with terror and he turned to answer her question.  
  
"Is that...Is that who I think it is?"  
  
He pointed to a man sitting at one of the tables. Sam stared, bewildered.  
  
"It looks like it. But, how is that possible?"  
  
"I don't know. But it is. Maybourne is back on earth..."  
  
er 


End file.
